An Hour's Decision
by xoxissyxox
Summary: A little idea I had for a oneshot the other day. Zoe is shocked to see Nick Jordan return, but now she has Max, what will Nick do?


**Hi everyone, this is a little oneshot I thought of the other day, but I haven't read anything to suggest that anything like this will happen, it's just a little idea I had... Hope you enjoy, please review!**

 **Issy xx**

Nick strode through the doors of the ED. Things had certainly changed. He looked around, faces were unfamiliar, yet he felt so at home in this place. Some of the biggest things in his life had happened here. Most of which he didn't want to think about.

Through the general bustling around of nurses and patients, he noticed a familiar face. Noel, the man who he'd witnessed on his first day of work. He'd tried to steal his sandwiches, well, tried to see what they were.

"Noel." Nick's familiar voice made Noel spin around quicker than usual.

"Mr Jordan? What are you doing here? We haven't seen you in years!"

"Hello to you too."

"Sorry. What can I do to help you?" Noel put his 'helpful receptionist' voice on, and Nick carried on.

"I'm looking for Connie."

"Right, well she'll most likely be in her office, which is just through those doors and turn right. First door on your right." Nick nodded and set off.

The door read Connie's name. Once the clinical lead's office door read his name. Not anymore.

"Come in." Connie's voice responded to the three knocks placed on the wooden door. Nick's hand pushed down on the handle and he pushed the door open.

"Mr Jordan?" Connie looked up, confused. She hadn't requested him here.

"Ah, Mrs Beauchamp. Now, I know you weren't expecting me-"

"-no, no I wasn't. What is it you came here for?" Connie leaned back in her seat, arms crossed.

"I'm moving back to England. Now I know I may not be wanted back here in Holby, but I would like to see if you had any consultant jobs open.

Connie frowned. She didn't, but surely he'd be great on the team. Hanssen was always complaining that they were short staffed as well.

"Mr Jordan." Connie placed her hands on her desk. "You do realise that you can't just come knocking whenever you feel like it."

"I'm perfectly aware of that. So if you don't have any jobs up for grabs, then I have been offered a backup. I can take a job in London."

Connie sighed. "I'll talk to Hanssen. I'm not promising anything. Come and find me in an hour, I'll probably be here." Nick gave one nod of his head before turning and leaving.

He had to find somebody. The reason he was here really. Zoe Hanna. Without her he would probably be dead. Nick walked out if the ED and around to Zoe's adopted smoking spot. It did change now and then, but she was predictable so it was easy to find her. Sure enough, sitting on a bench around the corner, smiling at something on her phone, was Zoe Hanna.

"What're you smiling at?" Nick stood over Zoe, making her jump.

"Nick? Really, that's the way you greet me after all this time?" Zoe stood up and hugged him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, bit cold in England though isn't it?"

"No, it's summer time, it's really warm. Why are you here? You didn't tell me you were visiting."

"It's a bit more than visiting, Zoe."

"You're moving back to Holby?" Zoe looked shocked, just as she'd settled down with Max, Nick turned up. Great.

"If there's a job I can take, Connie's discussing it with Hanssen. Anyway, how have you been? Missed me?" Zoe smiled, she had missed him. Since he'd left, secretly she'd hidden the fact that a small part of her was missing. But being Zoe Hanna, she'd ignored it and become stronger. Sometimes shutting people out. Once she and Max had settled down together, it felt like she was complete again.

"Of course I've missed you."

"Any news? What's happened to you whilst I've been away?" Nick was joking slightly, nothing had probably happened whilst he was away. Most likely a few one night stands, nothing special.

"Yeah, I got engaged!" Zoe smiled, but Nick's face suddenly dropped from the smiley face to the shocked and surprised one.

"You did what? Where's your ring?"

"He only asked me last night, kind of a spur if the moment thing. I haven't got one yet. No one knows yet, so please don't say anything." Nick nodded, sort of in shock.

"You know, I came back to England for two reasons. 1. I wanted to come back to the place I love. Holby. 2. Because I wanted to be with the person I love. That was you Zoe. You have no idea how much I've missed you. I know I had all that trouble with Yvonne, but although I do miss her, I want to put it behind me. Start again. With you." Zoe looked shocked and sat back down on the bench, Nick came with her.

"Nick, you can't say that. I'm engaged, I'm sorry. I've fallen for someone else." Nick looked heartbroken.

"If that's what you really want, then I guess I'll have to accept it."

"It's not what I really want, for you to go away, but Nick, it's for the best. You have to understand that someone else has come into my life, and that's who I want to stay with." Nick nodded. "I'm sorry it has to be like this. Why don't you stay a few days. Meet my fiancé."

"I can't Zoe, I have to go for a job interview in London."

Nick took Zoe's hands in his, and looked into her eyes. "Look, I don't know who this new guy is that you've fallen so madly in love for, but you just tell him he is the luckiest man in the world, don't let him take you for granted."

"I won't, don't worry." Max stood behind Nick as he spoke to Zoe. Nick's head whipped around, and he saw Max.

"This is you fiancé?" Nick asked Zoe, who nodded, and stood up to stand next to Max. Max took Zoe's hand and squeezed it.

"I'm Nick, I'm one of the guys Zoe used to date."

"You were more than a 'guy I dated'" Zoe protested. "Nick proposed to me a few years ago." Zoe turned to face Max.

"I guess you were the lucky guy that gets to marry Zoe. Take care of her, for me? She's special to me." Max nodded.

The sound of heels clacking against concrete sounded behind them, and Connie broke up the moment.

"Nick, you can have the job. It's yours if you want it." Everyone turned to face Nick. Nick looked from Connie, to Zoe, then to to Max. In that moment, he knew what the best thing to do was. He wasn't going to be the bad guy that broke up the happy couple.

"Remember what I said Max." Nick addressed Max, then turned to face Connie. "I can't take the job. I'd be doing the wrong thing. It's been nice to see you all again. I'll hopefully see you soon." Nick turned away and walked back out of the hospital car park. It wasn't the first time he'd walked out of her life. Although this time it was in a good way.

Connie shrugged and walked back inside. Zoe stood staring after Nick, not quite sure what to do. Max put his arm around Zoe's shoulders and turned her around. He led her inside.

"I think now is a good time for a hot chocolate, don't you?" Zoe nodded, still unable to think clearly. The first time she had seen him in ages, and it was for less than an hour. She shook her head in disbelief and followed Max into the staff room. A big chocolate was definitely what she needed.


End file.
